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But the document was blasted by eurosceptics who said it was “more of the same” and proved that UK voters made the right decision when they opted to quit the bloc.

Earlier today Mr Juncker published five “pathways” to save the struggling project, which ranged from stripping back Brussels to establishing a full-blown superstate.

But to raucous applause from MEPs he immediately dismissed any notion of reeling in the Brussels machine, insisting that the EU is “more than a free trade area” and must continue to grow politically.

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The EU chief rejected calls for the bloc to return to a simple trading alliance

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The proposals were welcomed by committed EU federalist Guy Verhofstadt

He said: “The future of Europe should not become hostage to elections, party politics or cries of triumph directed at domestic audiences.

“However painful and regrettable Brexit may be it will not stop Europe as it moves to the future we need to move forward and continue.

“Let’s be honest, for far too long what people expected from Europe was far removed from what Europe was actually able to offer.

“We shouldn’t act as if Europe alone can solve the problems. We shouldn’t persuade people that we can simply conjure up the sun and the moon at most we can deliver a telescope.”

He added: “ All these perspectives, everything I’ve sketched out, which are theoretically possible are choices offered to us.

“I’m not going to tell you which of them is my absolute preference, though I reject the idea that the EU should be reduced to a free trade area that does not meet Europe’s ambitions.”

His address was frequently applauded by MEPs in the chamber who congratulated him upon its conclusion, but eurosceptics were left unimpressed by the proposals.

They said the document showed the EU cannot change, with four of the five pathways involving the transfer of more powers to Brussels, simply at a slower or faster rate.

Ukip MEP Gerard Batten said: “It recognises the problems facing it but fails to understand that many of them were created by the EU in the first place.

“And the solution is always the same for the EU - to have more power to solve the problems it created and that always means more integration, political, fiscal and economic.

“If Mr Juncker tried to understand the reasons why the British voted to leave it might help him understand what needs to be done to reform the EU.

“Sadly I don’t think he’s going to do that but happily Britain won’t be part of it.”

He added: "It is obvious that Juncker favours more integration and an EU superstate. The EU is already a failed state. They are clearly planning to fail again, fail better and fail bigger."

His former colleague Diane James fumed at Mr Juncker: The legacy you will leave, sir, in terms of the white paper is really quite dangerous and a real delusion in terms of denial of what’s happened.

“There’s nothing in the white paper that gives citizens across Europe the opportunity to voice their discontent via referenda, for instance, and actually highlight what is wrong.

“Can I implore you, for the sake of 440 million citizens - please go back to a blueprint and come up with something new, something which doesn’t just paper over the cracks.”

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Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled his five options to save the EU to MEPs today

The solution is always the same for the EU - to have more power to solve the problems it created

Ukip MEP Gerard Batten

And Dutch MEP Vicky Maeijer, from Marine Le Pen’s far-right ENF grouping, blasted: “The EU is collapsing and support for the project is crumbling.

“It seems we’re trying to keep the Brussels dream alive but it’s really more of the same - more, more, more European Union.

“What world do they come from? You’re playing with the lives of millions of citizens who you do not represent.

“The Dutch, I think, are going to have their feeling confirmed that they must get away from this suffocating Europe and get freedom and democracy back.”

But Tory MEP Ashley Fox was more welcoming, saying: “I am pleased to see President Juncker laying out a series of options for the future of the EU rather than once again simply pushing his tired vision of a federal Europe.

“It is a little late, but he is finally acknowledging there is more than one way for the EU to proceed. It is in the UK’s interest for the EU to be a successful, stable and well-governed partner and ally."

And Pieter Cleppe, from the think tank Open Europe, said: “For the first time ever, the European Commission has listed turning the EU into a mere platform to facilitate trade as an option for the EU's future.

“Of course it's unlikely that EU27 leaders would go for this but it's progress - ironically when UK just voted to leave.

“In reality I suspect they'll go for business as usual - but this would be a mistake.”

These are the most eurosceptic countries

Fri, February 24, 2017

Rising disenchantment with the dealings of EU is not just confined to the UK.

EU officials had billed the major policy exercise as a “birth certificate for the EU at 27” which will decide the future direction of the bloc without Britain as a major member.

Conservative MEP Gonzalez Pons, from the European People's Party, said: “It will be farewell to the United Kingdom and it will be the birth of the EU at 27.

He added: “Member states must stop blaming Europe for what Europe cannot do. This is a wrong and dangerous game and Brexit is one of the consequences.

“If Brexit is a divorce the anniversary of the Rome treaties should be the time to renew our commitments between us and the EU. “

During a lively debate Ulrike Trebesius, of the European Conservatives and Reformists grouping, hit out at Mr Verhofstadt for trying to “force” a federal Europe on unwilling citizens.

She said to Mr Juncker: “You’ve gone one step further than Mr Verhofstadt, who hasn’t learnt his Brexit lesson and simply wants to enforce a happy Europe on everybody.

“The time is right for this parliament to leave wishful thinking behind. Mr Juncker if you’d been a bit more flexible in your discussions with Mr Cameron we might not have seen the UK leaving.”

But Mr Verhofstadt shot back: “I’m amazed that Mr Juncker is being blamed for Brexit. I thought it was more or less an internal catfight inside the Conservative party which was the reason for this Brexit.”

On the report, he added: “What we’ve learned from your introduction is the first three we can forget. Let’s talk about four or five.”

Pathways one to three involve either stripping the EU back, keeping it on the same path or proceeding to a two-speed Europe in which some member states integrate at a faster pace.

But proposals four and five, the last of which has been dubbed the “Verhofstadt option” by officials, advocated vastly increased federalisation and the march towards a superstate.